Aluminum doors for box cars



April 7, 1964 w. A. BEAUCHAMP 3,127,963

ALUMINUM DOORS FOR BOX CARS Filed April 7, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOE. W/L FEED H. BE'HUCHQMP APril 7, 1964 w. A. BEAUCHAMP 3,127,963

ALUMINUM DOORS FOR BOX CARS Filed April 7, 1961 s Sheets-Sheet 2 mVENTOZ WILFEED a. IBEHUCHFIMP W. A. BEAUCHAMP ALUMINUM DOORS FOR BOXCARS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 vi a lll IN vE TQ a w! a FE E0 5'. BEH'UCHAMPApril 7, 1964 Filed A ril '7. 1961 April 1964 w. A. BEAUCHAMP ALUMINUMDOORS FOR Box CARS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 7. 1961 IN VENICE kl/LFEED a. esaatmnp A ril 7, 1964 w. A. BEAUCHAMP 3,127,953

ALUMINUM DOORS FOR BOX CARS Filed April 7, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet s L "il-IL"5;6

41 H as INVENTOIZ W/LF/ZED fi-BEHUCHHMP dam WZQM United States Patent O3,127,963 ALUMINUM DOQRS FOR BOX CARS Wilfred A. Beanchamp, Chicago,111., assignor to The Youngstown S teel Door Company, Cleveland, (Bhio,a corporation of Ohio Filed Apr. 7, 1961, Ser. No. 101,490 7 Claims.(11!. 139-46) This invention relates to aluminum doors for box cars.

It is an object of this invention to provide aluminum doors havingextruded marginal reinforcing members and so constructed as to simplifyand reduce the cost of pro duction of the doors.

A further object is to provide aluminum doors having extruded marginalreinforcing members and so constructed as to eliminate the need forcoping of these members.

A further object to provide aluminum doors having extruded marginalreinforcing members and so constructed that these members can be cut tothe exact length required and coping, shaping or mitering thereof isobviated.

A further object is to provide aluminum doors having extruded marginalreinforcing members and so constructed that these members having uniformcross sections throughout their length.

Other objects of the invention will become clear as the descriptionthereof proceeds.

In the drawings forming part of this specification:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary elevation of a box car side equipped with a doorembodying the instant invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical section taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a horizontal section taken on line 33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a horizontal section taken on line 4--4 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a horizontal section taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a horizontal section taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is an end view of the door looking from the left in FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is an end view of the door looking from the right in FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is an exploded view of the door, parts being broken away.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged assembled view of the door with parts brokenaway.

FIG. 11 is a horizontal section taken on line 1111 of FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a horizontal section taken on line 12-12 of FIG. 10.

FIG. 13 is a horizontal section taken on line 1313 of FIG. 10.

In the drawings the numeral 10 designates a portion of a side of arailway box car. A door opening is provided in the carside 10 as iscustomary. The width of the door opening is defined by front and reardoor posts 11 and 12. The front door post 11 is provided with a doorstop 13 which is adapted to receive the front edge of the door when thelatter is closed. The rear door post carries a post strip 14 adapted tocooperate with portions of the door hereinafter described.

The door 15 embodying the instant invention is formed of aluminum orsimilar lightweight material. The door 15 embodies a metallic panel 16which in the illustrated form of the invention embodies a plurality ofinterlocked extruded intermediate sections 17, an extruded, interlockedtop section 18, and an interlocked bottom section 19. The bottom section19, as more clearly shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings, comprises an innerportion which as shown is interlocked with the lower edge of theimmediately adjacent intermediate section 17 and an outer portion 21.

The outer portion 21 is secured at its upper edge to the inner portion20 as by means of rivets 22. The outer portion 21 is offset outwardlyrelative to the inner portion 29 as indicated at 23. The lower edge ofthe offset portion is interlocked with an outwardly extending flange 24provided on the inner portion as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings. Theinner portion 20 extends downwardly below the flange 24 to provide aflange 25 which serves to retain the door upon its supporting track 26.Door lifting and supporting mechanism, indicated generally by thereference numeral 27, is mounted within the space provided by the innerportion 20 and outwardly offset portion 21. A more detailed descriptionof the lifting and supporting mechanism and its mode of operation is setforth in applicants Patent No. 2,373,447, granted April 10, 1945,incorporated herein by reference.

The inner and outer portions 213 and 21 are formed of extrusions andconstitute the bottom extruded member of the door. Similarly, the frontand rear vertical margins of the door panel and the top margin of thedoor panel are also reinforced by extruded members. The front extrudedmarginal reinforcing member is designated by the reference numeral 23.It embodies an angular section which includes a flange 29 lyingsubstantially in the inner plane of the door, an outwardly extendingflange '30 and a rearwardly extending flange 31. A flange 32 extendsoutwardly from the outer edge of flange 29 so as to cooperate with thedoor stop 13 to provide a seal for the front edge of the door. A flange33 extends rearwardly from the outwardly extending flange 3i) andcooperates with the rearwardly extending flange 31 to provide space forthe reception of the front vertical marginal portion of the door panel.

The rear extruded marginal reinforcing member is designated by thereference numeral 34. This member embodies an angular section whichincludes a rearwardly extending flange 35 lying substantially in theinner plane of the door, an outwardly extending flange 36, and aforwardly extending flange 37. A reinforcing flange 38 extends inwardlyfrom the outer end of the flange 35. The latter flange also carries atits inner end a forwardly and inwardly extending flange 39 whichcooperates with the post strip 14 in order to provide a seal for therear edge of the door. A flange 40 lying substantially in the innerplane of the door extends forwardly from the flange 35. Flange 449 isundercut, as shown at 41, and a groove 42 is provided in flange 35substantially in alignment with undercut portion 41. The latter and thegroove 42 are adapted to receive the side edges of a flexible metallicsealing strip 43 provided with an inwardly and rearwardly extendingflange 44 which is also adapted to engage the post strip 14 in order toseal the rear edge of the door. The flanges 37 and 41) provide space forthe reception of the rear vertical margin of the panel 16.

The top extruded marginal reinforcing member for the door panel isdesignated by the reference numeral 45. This member embodies an angularsection comprising a vertical flange 46, an upper inwardly extendingflange 47 and a lower outwardly extending flange 48. A rabbetted flange49 extends downwardly from the inner end of flange 48 for securernent tothe upstanding flange 50 of the top extruded panel section. A flange 51extends downwardly from flange 48 in outwardly spaced relationship tothe flange 49.

With particular reference to FIGS. 9 and 10 of the drawings, it will beobserved that the top, bottom and side extruded marginal reinforcingmembers terminate short of the corners of the door and that their edgesare at right angles to the members. It will be apparent also from FIGS.2 to 6, inclusive, that the marginal reinforcing members are of uniformcross section throughout their length. As a result of this construction,it is apparent that the extruded marginal reinforcing members can be cutto the desired length and in view of the hereinafter described doorconstruction the need for coping, shaping or mitering the ends of theextruded marginal reinforcing members is obviated.

For the accomplishment of these ends separate corner members areutilized in the door. At the upper front corner of the door a cornermember 52 is utilized which embodies an angular section comprising avertical flange 53, an upper inwardly extending flange 54 and a loweroutwardly extending flange 55. The angular section completely fills thecorner between the front and top marginal reinforcing members, as shownmore clearly in FIG. 3 of the drawings, and is so arranged that thelower flange 55 is seated upon and spans the interval between theflanges 30 and 32 of the front marginal reinforcing member. Thedis-position of the corner piece 52 is such that the vertical flange 53thereof forms a continuation of the flange 29 of the front marginalreinforcing member and a continuation of the flange 46 of the topmarginal reinforcing member. Similanly, the upper inwardly extendingflange 54 forms a continuation of the inwardly extending flange 47 andthe lower outwardly extending flange 55 of the corner member for-ms acontinuation of the outwardly extending flange 48. To insure thisdisposition of the corner member 52. so that it completely fills theupper front corner of the door, the corner memher is provided with anangular portion 56 which depends from the flange 55 and is adapted tonest in the angle provided by the flanges 29 and 36* of the frontmarginal reinforcing member as shown in FIG. of the drawings.

A corner member 57 is utilized to provide a continuation of the rearmarginal reinforcing member and of the top marginal reinforcing memberand to completely fill the upper rear corner of the door. Corner member57 embodies an angular section which comprises a vertical flange 58, anupper inwardly extending flange 59, and a lower outwardly extendingflange 6t). Corner member 57 is reinforced by a flange 61 which extendsinwardly from the outer portion of flange 58 and forms a continuation offlange 38 of the rear marginal reinforcing member. The inner end offlange 58 carries a forwardly and inwardly inclined sealing flange 62which forms a continuation of the similar sealing flange 3Q of the rearmarginal reinforcing member. When the upper rear corner member 57 isproperly disposed in relation to the top and rear marginal reinforcingmembers, flange 58 forms a continuation of web 46 of the top marginalreinforcing member and a continuation of flange 35 of the rear marginalreinforcing member. Corner member 57 completely fills the upper rearcorner of the door. Proper disposition of corner member 57 is insured byan angular member 63 which depends from the lower outwardly extendingflange 60 and which nests within the angle formed by the flanges 35 and36 of the rear marginal reinforcing member.

With reference to FIG. 9 of the drawings it will be observed that theoutwardly oflset portion 21'; of the bottom marginal reinforcing member19 terminates at its ends within the edges of the inner portion it) ofthe bottom marginal reinforcing member. With this construc tion a cornermember 64 is utilized to completely fill the lower front corner of thedoor. Corner member 64 embodies an angular section which consists of aforwardly extending flange 65 adapted to lie substantially in the innerplane of the door, an outwardly extending flange '66 and a reanwardlyextending flange 67. Flanges 68 and 69 extend inwardly in spacedrelationship to each other from flange 67 and terminate short of theinner face of flange 65. A substantially inwardly opening channel-shapedportion 70 extends rearwardly from flange 69. The lower edge of thesubstantially channel-shaped portion terminates in alignment with thelower edges of flanges 68 and 69 while the upper end of portion 70terminates below the upper end of flange 67.

A flange 71 extends outwardly from flange which continues downwardlybelow flange 67 to provide a flange 72. A flange 73 extends outwardlyfrom flange 65 and terminates at flange 71.

In assembling corner member 64 with the front and bottom marginalreinforcing members of the door, the corner member is disposed so thatflanges 65, 67 and 73 form continuations of flanges 29, 31 and 32,respectively, of the front marginal reinforcing member 248. Thesubstantially channel-shaped portion of corner member 64 is telescopedwithin the outwardly offset member 21 of the bottom marginal reinforcingmember so that it overlaps the inner portion 20 of this member. Flange67 thereby forms a continuation of the outwardly offset portion 21. Theinner portion 20 of the bottom marginal reinforcing member lies inwardlyof the flanges 6S and 6% so that flange 65 forms a continuation of theinner portion 20. Flange 72 of the corner member forms a continuation offlange 25 of the inner portion 20. In this manner, the corner member 64completely fills the bottom front corner of the door. Proper positioningof the corner member 64 relative tothe front marginal reinforcing member23 is obtained by the nesting of angw lar section 74 formed on thecorner member in the angle provided by flanges 29 and 3b of the frontmarginal reinforcing member.

A corner member 75 is utilized as a continuation of the rear verticaland bottom marginal reinforcing members and to completely fill thecorner formed by these members. Corner member 75 embodies an angularsection comprising a flange 76 adapted to be disposed substantially inthe inner plane of the door, an outwardly extending flange 77, and aflange 78 extending forwardly from the outer end of flange 77. Cornermember 75 is also formed with a flange 79 which extends inwardly fromthe outer end of flange 76 and a forwardly and inwardly extendingsealing flange 8E disposed at the inner end of flange 76. A flange 81extends outwardly from flange 76. A flange 82 extends downwardly fromflange 81.

Flanges 83 and 84 spaced relative to each other extend inwardly fromflange 78 and terminate outwardly of flange 76. Flange 83 'carnies asubstantially inwardly opening channel-shaped portion '85 which at itslower end terminates in the plane of the lower ends of flanges 83 and 84and at its upper end below flange 78'.

Corner member 75 is assembled with the rear marginal reinforcing memberso that flanges 76, 77 and 78 form continuations of flanges 35, 36 and37, respectively, of the rear marginal reinforcing member 34.I-nwardlyextending flange 79 of the corner member forms a continuationof inwardly extending flange 38 of the marginal reinforcing member.Seaiing flange 89 of the corner member forms a continuation of sealingflange 39 of member 3 This relationship is insured by the angularportion 36 formed on the corner member which nests in the angle providedby flanges 35 and 36 of the marginal reinforcing member.

Corner member 75 is assembled with the bottom marginal reinforcingmember 19 so as to completely fill the lower rear corner of the door. Inthis assembly the substantially channel-shaped portion 85 is telescopedwithin the outwardly offset portion 21 of the bottom reinforcing memberand in overlapping relationship with the inner portion 26 thereof.Flange 78 of the corner member forms a continuation of portion 21 andflange 76 forms a continuation of the inner portion 20 of the bottomreinforcing member Which lies inwardly of flanges '83 and 84. Flange 82forms a continuation of flange 25 of the inner portion 20. All of thecorner members are secured to the marginal reinforcing members bywelding.

It will be apparent from the foregoing detailed description that analuminum door utilizing extruded marginal reinforcing members can beproduced economically.

The described door eliminates all coping, shaping or miter-ing of theextruded marginal reinforcing members at the corners of the door. Itfollows that these reinforcing members can be out to exact size. Theinstant invention permits the use of any desired panel. The panel may beformed of extruded sections, interlocked as shown, or in any desiredmanner. Formed panel sections can be utilized as well, if desired.

It will be apparent that numerous changes and modifications in thedetails of the invention will be clear to those skilled in the art. Itis intended, therefore, that all such modifications and changes becomprehended within this invention which is to be limited only by thescope of the claims appended hereto.

1 claim:

1. An aluminum door having a panel and front, rear, top and bottomextruded reinforcing members secured to and along the margins of saidpanel, said front extruded member terminating contiguous to the topfront corner of said door having an angular section including a flangelying substantially in the inner plane of said door, said top extrudedmember terminating short of said corner and having an angular sectionincluding flange lying substantially in the plane of said first flange,a corner member having an angular section substantially similar to saidangular section of said top member and forming a continuation thereofand completely filling said corner, said corner member being seated uponsaid first angular section within the vertical edges of said frontextruded member and having a flange forming a continuation of saidflanges of said front and top extruded members, said extruded membersterminating contiguous to the remaining corners of said door, cornermembers continuous with said extruded members and completely fillingsaid remaining corners, and means securing said corner members to saidextruded members.

2. The combination as defined in claim 1 wherein a member depends fromsaid angular section of said corner member and is disposed inoverlapping engagement with said front extruded member.

3. An aluminum door having a panel and front, rear, top and bottomextruded reinforcing members secured to and along the margins of saidpanel, said rear extruded member terminating contiguous to the top rearcorner of said door and having an angular section including a flangelying substantially in the inner plane of said door and an inwardly andforwardly extending sealing element projecting from said flange, saidtop extruded member terminating short of said corner and having anangular section including a first flange lying substantially in theplane of said first flange, a corner member having an angular sectionsubstantially similar in vertical cross section to said angular sectionof said top member and forming a continuation thereof and completelyfilling said corner, said corner member being seated upon said firstangular section within the vertical edges of said rear extruded memberand having a flange forming a continuation of said flanges of said rearand top extruded members and carrying an inwardly and forwardlyextending sealing element forming a continuation of said first sealingelement, said extruded members terminating contiguous to the remainingcorners of said door, corner members continuous with said extrudedmembers and completely filling said remaining corners, and meanssecuring said corner members to said extruded members.

4. The combination as defined in claim 3 wherein a member depends fromsaid angular section of said corner member and is disposed inoverlapping engagement with said rear extruded member.

5. The combination as defined in claim 3 wherein said rear extrudedmember has a forwardly extending flange,

said flanges of said rear member have grooves formed therein, and aflexible metallic sealing member is mounted on said rear member, thesides of said sealing strip being disposed in said grooves to mount saidsealing strip.

'6. An aluminum door having a panel and side, top and bottom extrudedreinforcing members secured to and along the margins of said panel, oneof said side extruded members terminating short of a bottom corner ofsaid door, said one side member having an angular section including aninner flange lying substantially in the inner plane of said door and anouter flange, said bottom member having an inner member terminatingshort of said corner and an outer member secured to said inner memberand terminating short of the ends thereof, said outer member beingoffset outwardly from said inner member, the main portion of said innermember lying substantially in the plane of said inner flange, a cornermember having an angular section including inner and outer flanges, saidangular section of said corner member forming a continuation of saidangular section of said one side member and completely filling saidcorner, said outer flange of said corner member being continuous withsaid outwardly offset portion of said outer member of said bottomextruded member, said corner member having an extension disposed inoverlapping relationship with said outwardly offset portion andsubstantially following the contour thereof, said extruded membersterminating short of the remaining corners of said door, corner memberscontinuous with said extruded members and completely filling saidremaining corners, and means securing said corner members to saidextruded members.

7. An aluminum door having a panel and front, rear, top and bottomextruded reinforcing members secured to and along the margins of saidpanel, said front extruded member terminating contiguous to the upperfront corner of said door and having a substantially channelshapedportion including a flange lying substantially in the inner plane ofsaid door and flanges extending outwardly from said flange, said topextruded member terminating contiguous to said corner and having asubstantially Z-sharped portion including a web lying substantially inthe plane of said flange, an upper inwardly extending flange and a loweroutwardly extending flange, a corner member lying Within the verticaledges of said front extruded member and having a substantially Z- shapedportion including a web and upper and lower flanges forming acontinuation of said web and upper and lower flanges of said Z-shapedportion of said top extruded member and completely filling said corner,said web of said corner member also forming a continuation of said firstflange of said front extruded member, said lower flange of said cornermember lying upon said outwardly extending flanges of saidchannel-shaped portion, said extruded members terminating contiguous tothe remaining corners of said door, corner members continuous with saidextruded members and completely filling said remaining corners, andmeans securing said corner members to said extruded members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,120,695 Davis 'Dec. 15, 1914 2,045,291 Busse June 23, 1936 2,109,515Wasberg Mar. 1, 1938 2,902,122 Beauchamp Sept. 1, 1959 3,019,867Colombini Feb. 6, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,067,149 France Jan. 27, 1954714,310 Great Britain Aug. 25, 1954

1. AN ALUMINUM DOOR HAVING A PANEL AND FRONT, REAR, TOP AND BOTTOMEXTRUDED REINFORCING MEMBERS SECURED TO AND ALONG THE MARGINS OF SAIDPANEL, SAID FRONT EXTRUDED MEMBER TERMINATING CONTIGUOUS TO THE TOPFRONT CORNER OF SAID DOOR HAVING AN ANGULAR SECTION INCLUDING A FLANGELYING SUBSTANTIALLY IN THE INNER PLANE OF SAID DOOR, SAID TOP EXTRUDEDMEMBER TERMINATING SHORT OF SAID CORNER AND HAVING AN ANGULAR SECTIONINCLUDING FLANGE LYING SUBSTANTIALLY IN THE PLANE OF SAID FIRST FLANGE,A CORNER MEMBER HAVING AN ANGULAR SECTION SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR TO SAIDANGULAR SECTION OF SAID TOP MEMBER AND FORMING A CONTINUATION THEREOFAND COMPLETELY FILLING SAID CORNER, SAID CORNER MEMBER BEING SEATED UPONSAID FIRST ANGULAR SECTION WITHIN THE VERTICAL EDGES OF SAID FRONTEXTRUDED MEMBER AND HAVING A FLANGE FORMING A CONTINUATION OF SAIDFLANGES OF SAID FRONT AND TOP EXTRUDED MEMBERS, SAID EXTRUDED MEMBERSTERMINATING CONTIGUOUS TO THE REMAINING CORNERS OF SAID DOOR, CORNERMEMBERS CONTINUOUS WITH SAID EXTRUDED MEMBERS AND COMPLETELY FILLINGSAID REMAINING CORNERS, AND MEANS SECURING SAID CORNER MEMBERS TO SAIDEXTRUDED MEMBERS.